Trap.



PATENT-ED MAR. 17, 1903. J. P. WHITE.

TRAP.

APPLIOATION IILEI) JUNE 27, 1902.

x0 MODEL.

PIG 2 UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

JAMES P. WHITE, OF MATTOON, ILLINOIS.

TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,100, dated March 17, 1903.

Application filed Tune 27,1902. Serial No. 113,490. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: a Be it known that I, JAMES P. WHITE,-a citizen of the United Statesand a residentofMattoon, in the county of Coles and State of Illinois, have invented a new and usetul Improvement in Traps, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to traps.

More particularly stated, the improvement is designed for animal-traps for mice and rats of the rodent family. It is, however, applicable for trapping animals of any kind in so' far' as it'is applicable thereto.

For these purposes my invention consists, in the following construction and combination of parts, the details of which will first be fully described and the points of novelty then set forth in the claim.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trap to which my invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section at right angles to the point of section in Fig. 2, taken'on the line 0a 0a of Fig. 2.

In the drawings, 1 represents a box-like structure having sides, bottom, top, and. one end wall, the other end being open, so that access may be had thereto. This latter opening is provided with a gate 2, pivoted at the top to the side walls at 3 and arranged to open inwardly and upwardly against the top wall of the box. To the rear of the gate 2 is a pivoted latch-plate 4, having its pivotal point 5 in the neighborhood of a line drawn vertically from the free end of the gate 2 when the latter is at its upper horizontal position and its free end projecting toward the rear or interior of the box. Rigidly connected to this pivotal latch-plate 4 is a latch-arm 6,'proj ectin g from one side of the latch-plate 4., whereby when the plate 4. is slightly elevated the free end of the latch part 6 will project under the free end of the gate 2 and hold-the said gate open.

For the purpose of convenientlymanipu The hole 7 may be -0mitted, and'ithe trap may be set by simply turning the box upside down, which act throws the doors downward by gravity against the top of p the box in its reverse position, and the gravity of the free ends of the latch-plates 4 throws the lockinglatch 6 over in contact with the free end of the door. The box is then righted to its original position, when the trap will be found to be set.

When the trap is inverted, the plate 4 swings until it strikes the stop 13, which movement is just sufficient to carry the catch on the latch-arn1 6 beyond the catch upon the free end of the gate 2, the latter having been swung up against the top of the box in position to effect the latchment.

' I may provide the upper side of the box 1 with p'erforations 9 or other equivalent modification for the purpose of properly ventilating the trap.

The rear part of the top of the trap 10 is pivoted at 11 and has a latch 12, whereby the top may be thrown up, permitting access to the inner end of the trap for the purpose of baiting the same or removing the animal caught therein.

"box-like structure having oneopen side, a

gatepivoted at the top and across said opening adapted to swing upwardly against the top of the box and to fall by gravity, a latchplate pivoted to the box at. an intermediate gage the free end of the gate when the latchplate is swung from the floor of the trap to the limit of movement defined by the stop.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES P. WHITE;

Witnesses:

F. N. HENLEY, FRANK OHME.

.point near thebottorn thereof, a stop for limiting the movement of the latch-plate, a latch secured to the latch-plate and adapted to en- 

